'52 M38

[Bill]

I am really enjoying watching this build.

Bill - Why do I have a feeling your main source of enjoyment with this build is the likely prospect of witnessing it crack in half and explode whilst navigating some god-forsaken NH goat path?

 

We all have to have our hobbies 

[SteveW]

The marking of the front and rear is a good idea and I Remember doing it. The transfer case is worked on upside down so that is where you can get fouled up.

[Ryan_M]

Transmission, transfer case, bellhousing have been reunited and set atop a new crossmember. Rubber mounts are also new as are the throwout bearing, bearing carrier, and spring.



I'm not sure what this completed assembly weighs but it is all I can do to pick it up and carry it across the garage. I don't have a transmission jack nor am I too excited to buy one. Since I have the luxury of an M38 removable floor I could have rigged up some type of overhead crane but I didn't feel like I had the right equipment for that today either.

What I do have is a fair amount of scrap wood. I decided to build a crib system. Prying up one side, slipping in a piece of wood, and then repeating on the other side, I slowly but steadily raised the whole unit to the exact level of the motor and slid it forward into place. The entire ordeal probably took a couple hours so it certainly wasn't real efficient but not too terrible either. I consider the fact that it worked at all a success. With that said, if I have to do this again anytime soon I'll pick-up a heavy duty come-a-long and try the overhead method.

I used a prybar under the skid plate to get the first couple blocks inserted.


After that I was able to use a 2x4 as a lever.


Eventually it was high enough that I could use the floor jack under the ends of the crossmember to raise it up for the last couple crib blocks.


Once the crossmember ends were high enough to bolt loosely to the frame I removed all the cribbing. I had been supporting the engine with cinder blocks and was able to remove those too. Tightening a little here and a little there along with some persuasive leveling with the use of the floor jack under the engine skid plate I finally pulled it all tight.

Here's everything back in place. I'm leaving the inspection cover off for now until the clutch pedal and all the linkage is back in place.



Motor mounts are shot so time permitting tomorrow that's the next mini-project. It's easy to work up there since the radiator is still out for repair. Once that's done it'll be onto the driveshafts and u-joints.

[zooke581]

Great progress.  You can use one of those inexpensive motorcycle stands for a jack stand.

[Bill]

Looking good.  Cant wait to see it running!

[1955CJ-5]

Sometimes you just need to think like an early Egyptian pyramid builder and move those heavy things an inch at a time...

Looks great....new tires?

[athawk11]

Nicely done! In many ways, I've found that us 'back yard mechanics' are forced to be more creative than a real mechanic .

Tim

[Ryan_M]

I'd like to say the cribbing idea was born out of my own stroke of brilliance but I remember someone else mentioning it on one of the other forums. I only "furthered the field research".

And 1955CJ-5 the tires were on this wreck when I got it but I doubt they had 50 miles on them. There was virtually no wear and all were still covered with those nubby new tire things, most of which have since worn off with the couple hundred miles I've driven.

I started the day with a quick motor mount swap. I said I wasn't going to splurge on too many upgrades for this project so I may have pulled the trigger early in replacing these guys. Probably could have gone another half-century or so...or maybe not:


With the motor mounted and after some more fiddling with the reinstalled trans/TC, Project Driveshaft was the main mission of the day. Like everything else on this rotbox, they were pretty disgusting:



But I got them cleaned up:


While installing new Spicer u-joints I managed to screw one up and actually had to cut the thing in half with the grinder.� I must have flipped one of the needle bearings down causing the end cap to wedge badly in the driveshaft ear while trying to hammer it home. Numerous thundering blows with my trusty BFH and then a few more with a B'rFH proved futile.

Nothing like taking a shiny new component off the shelf and within 30 minutes of it being out of the box you're unceremoniously butchering though it in a shower of grinder sparks.

So for now the rear driveshaft is installed on the Jeep but the front one will have to wait until another u-joint can be had.

I got a good look at the starter too. I would have gotten a better look at it on the ground at the Dairy Queen parking lot this summer had I not dealt with it here. It was held in place only by a single decrepit bolt through the bell housing. All traces of the rear bracket were gone. Probably rotted off sometime during the Carter administration. I have some questions about this starter but that's a topic for a different thread.

[MikeC4193]

I have never seen those boots for the clutch cable....is that a standard Jeep part??...my 1947 CJ2A has a rather large hole but no boot...I like that it appears to hold the cable taught thus holding the ball on the clutch lever...

Just wondering out loud thats all...

MikeC

[Ryan_M]

I have never seen those boots for the clutch cable....is that a standard Jeep part??...my 1947 CJ2A has a rather large hole but no boot...I like that it appears to hold the cable taught thus holding the ball on the clutch lever...

Just wondering out loud thats all...

MikeC

That clutch cable boot is a remnant of the original M38 fording hardware. Since this thing was built to drive while submerged, it has some stuff not seen on other flatfenders, including that boot. I think the cable itself is the same as 2A's and 3A's but the hole for it in the bell housing is smaller (IIRC).

You may have also noticed the TC vent has some plumbing attached to it. I believe it was originally plumbed to a "T" fitting on the bellhousing and from there either to the fuel pump or air cleaner allowing it to vent above the high-water mark if need be.

[Bob W]

Your Jeep has the later of the two different M-38 fording ventilation systems. The clutch cable is slightly different than a CJ cable in that it should have extra ferrules to help seal the boot. The transfer case vent tube should go to the tee fitting on the waterproof bellhousing. From there a line continued forward to a check valve and then to a fitting on the center of the fuel pump. When fording the engine PCV system was defeated so crankcase pressure would build to a few PSI. This pressure was also supplied to the bellhousing, transfer case and transmission through the plumbing to help keep water out.

[Ryan_M]

Your Jeep has the later of the two different M-38 fording ventilation systems. The clutch cable is slightly different than a CJ cable in that it should have extra ferrules to help seal the boot. The transfer case vent tube should go to the tee fitting on the waterproof bellhousing. From there a line continued forward to a check valve and then to a fitting on the center of the fuel pump. When fording the engine PCV system was defeated so crankcase pressure would build to a few PSI. This pressure was also supplied to the bellhousing, transfer case and transmission through the plumbing to help keep water out.

Thanks for the explanation Bob. Given the condition (or complete lack) of the fording components on this junker I'll probably try and refrain from any aquatic adventures.

[1955CJ-5]

the tires were on this wreck

on this junker

I see it's really growing on you.....

[Ryan_M]

the tires were on this wreck

on this junker

I see it's really growing on you.....

I do like it - very much. I would like it a lot more, however, if it wasn't a complete piece of crap.

[1955CJ-5]